2004 Toyota Matrix power train problems

“LOW NOISE FROM ENGINE AREA, THEN HEARD A POP OR THUD. AFTER THIS CAME A SCRATCHY/GRINDING NOISE WHEN CAR WAS IN GEAR AND COASTING. THE NOISE WENT AWAY WHEN CLUTCH WAS DEPRESSED OR CAR WAS TAKEN OUT OF GEAR TO COAST. I CALLED A SERVICE REPAIR TO MAKE AN APPOINTMENT THE SAME DAY. THE VERY NEXT DAY THE CAR LOCKED UP AND WAS UNDRIVEABLE. SOUNDED LIKE THE ENGINE HAD FALLEN OUT THE BOTTOM WITH HORRIBLE METAL GRINDING NOISE. I HAD TO HAVE IT TOWED ($150) AND THE SERVICE CENTER SAID I WOULD NEED A NEW TRANSMISSION AND CLUTCH AND THAT THIS IS A COMMON PROBLEM WITH TOYOTA MATRIX AND COROLLA. AFTER READING ONLINE, IT SEEMS THERE IS A PROBLEM WITH TOYOTA OWNERS WITH LOW MILES HAVING BEARING ISSUES AND THAT THIS PROBLEM HAS GONE UNADDRESSED. EVEN THOUGH I WAS GOING ONLY 10 MILES PER HOUR, THE CAR LOCKS UP. THIS ISSUE WILL KILL SOMEONE, SOMEDAY. COST OF REPAIR WILL BE AROUND $3,100+. *TR”

“MY CAR STARTED MAKING A WEIRD NOISE. WHEN THE CLUTCH WAS PUSHED IN, THE NOISE WOULD STOP. 3 WEEKS LATER I HAD TO GO TO WORK SO I GOT ON THE HIGHWAY AND THE NOISE WAS GETTING LOUDER AND LOUDER. MY FRONT WHEELS LOCKED UP AND MY TRANSMISSION SHOT ME OUT OF GEAR. A CAR ALMOST HIT ME WHICH WOULD OF COST MY LIFE. I WILL NEVER BUY A TOYOTA AGAIN. IT COSTS $2000 TO FIX. HOPEFULLY YOU GUYS DO SOMETHING BEFORE SOMEONE GETS SERIOUSLY INJURED. *TR”

“TL* THE CONTACT OWNS A 2004 TOYOTA MATRIX. THE CONTACT STATED THE BEARINGS IN THE TRANSMISSION FAILED, CAUSING THE VEHICLE TO DECELERATE TO A COMPLETE STOP. THE CONTACT STATED THERE WERE NO WARNINGS PRIOR TO THE FAILURE. THE CONTACT TOOK THE VEHICLE TO A MECHANIC AND WAS TOLD THAT THE TRANSMISSION WOULD NEED REPLACING. THE FAILURE AND CURRENT MILEAGE WAS 63,000. UPDATED 09/12/11”

“2004 MANUAL TOYOTA MATRIX XR 1. I WAS HEARING A VERY SLIGHT TINKLING SOUND WHEN AT LOW RPMS IN 2ND, 3RD AND 5TH GEARS. WHEN THE CLUTCH WAS PRESSED THE SOUND WENT AWAY. THE SOUND WAS OCCURRING FOR ABOUT 2 WEEKS BEFORE THE FAILURE. 2. COMPLETE FAILURE OF THE TRANSMISSION. DRIVING IN 5TH GEAR AND THERE WAS A WHIRRING SOUND, A CLUNK, AND THE CAR JUMPED OUT OF GEAR. COULD NOT GET INTO 1ST, 2ND, 5TH, OR REVERSE. WHEN CAR IS NEUTRAL IT IS STILL IN GEAR. WE HAD SIGNIFICANT TROUBLE TOWING THE CAR AS I HAD TO BE INSIDE THE CAR WITH THE CLUTCH DOWN AS THE TOW TRUCK DRIVER PUSHED IT. 3. REPLACEMENT OF TRANSMISSION. *TR”

“MY 2004 TOYOTA MATRIX XR WITH MANUAL TRANSMISSION HAS SUDDENLY DISPLAYED SEVERE MECHANICAL NOISE FROM THE ENGINE/TRANSMISSION AREA. SMOG TECHNICIANS WOULDN'T TAKE LIABILITY TO RUN ENGINE FOR SMOG TESTS TO REGISTER FOR THE COMING YEAR, SO IS NOW REGISTERED AS PLANNED NON-OPERATION UNTIL I CAN GET THE CAR FIXED. GOOGLING "TOYOTA MATRIX TRANSMISSION NOISE" OR "TOYOTA MATRIX ENGINE NOISE" LEADS TO SEVERAL SITES IN WHICH TOO MANY OWNERS ARE EITHER EXPERIENCING COMPLETE ENGINE LOSS DUE TO "OIL SLUDGE PROBLEM" OR TOTAL TRANSMISSION LOSS DUE TO "ADMITTED TRANSMISSION BEARING DESIGN FLAW". I WILL NOT DRIVE THIS CAR AGAIN ON THE ROADWAY DUE TO THE POSSIBILITY OF SUDDEN AND COMPLETE LOSS OF TRANSMISSION FUNCTION AT ANY TIME. THIS CAR IS A GREAT DESIGN FOR FUNCTIONALITY, BUT I AM TOTALLY DISMAYED AND FRUSTRATED THAT AT 120,000 MILES, THE CAR IS OFF THE ROAD FOR SERIOUS ENGINE AND TRANSMISSION FLAWS THAT APPEAR TO BE VERY COMMON, CONSIDERING I BOUGHT TOYOTA FOR THE RELIABILITY THAT WE ALL KNOW SO MUCH ABOUT. I HAVE KEPT UP ON THE OIL CHANGES SINCE THEY WERE PRE-PURCHASED FOR 5 YEARS WHEN I BOUGHT THE CAR, AND HAVE KEPT FRESH AFTER THE 5 YEARS EXPIRED. VERY DISAPPOINTED WITH…”

“I OWN A 2004 TOYOTA MATRIX. IT HAS LESS THAN 100,000 MILES AND HAVE BEEN WELL TAKEN CARE OF. ON AUGUST 20, 2010, DRIVING 30-35 MILES PER HOUR, THE FRONT AXEL BROKE! I DID NOT RUN OVER A POT-HOLE, THERE WAS NO ACCIDENT---NOTHING TO REMOTELY CAUSE THE FRONT AXEL TO BREAK. IT IS VERY UPSETTING HAVING TO PAY FOR A REPAIR THAT IS A DEFECT IN THE CAR AND NOW BEING TOLD THAT THEY CAN'T EVEN FIND THE PART TO REPAIR THE CAR. *TR”